There or their – the mistake your ear never makes

Native speakers mix these up every day. Not because their English is bad… because their fingers are fast.

A client sends me something to review. And there it is: their instead of their.

When I point it out, the reaction is always the same: embarrassment. As if it reveals something about their English.

It doesn’t. There and their sound identical. Your ear has never confused them. Only your fingers have.

This mistake shows up in emails from senior managers, in published articles, in messages from people who’ve spoken English their whole lives.

Quick win: If you’re unsure, read the sentence out loud. Your ear knows which one fits.